Nevin Shapiro

GREENSBORO, N.C. — The Brushy Mountain Smokehouse and Creamery offers myriad southern staples, from country ham biscuits to deep-fried catfish. The fare also includes scores of homemade ice creams, from oatmeal cookie dough to chocolate brownie cheesecake. But when John Swofford returns to his North Wilkesboro, N.C., roots and strolls into the family's restaurant, he sticks to the basics: pulled pork barbecue and vanilla ice cream. "Obviously," he says with a smile, "I don't venture out too far on food." Swofford's leadership of the Atlantic Coast Conference has been the antithesis of his palate. With bold and occasionally covert strikes, the...

Reader Glenn Goodroe discovered an error in my Miami scenario below, and it involves North Carolina, even though the Tar Heels are ineligible to win the Coastal.If Miami, Georgia Tech and UNC tied atop the division at 5-3, the ACC would treat it as a...

Virginia Tech doesn’t deserve to play for the ACC football title, and Hokies fans likely would boycott in droves. But Tech’s chances of reaching the championship game aren’t as grim as they appeared after Thursday’s defeat at Miami.That’s because the...

With the NCAA auditioning for the role of hanging judge, it’s natural to wonder if the harsher punishment guidelines fast-tracked for October adoption might splash onto Miami. Moreover, you might ask if the probable changes could affect North...

Transfers and suspensions can radically alter depth charts. Coaching staffs can change on a dime, witness North Carolina’s purging of Butch Davis last July.
But after Sunday’s deadline to declare for the NFL draft, now’s as good a time as any for...

Before the season I suspected that Virginia Tech and Virginia would sweep their respective non-conference games. That hunch looks better than ever today.
Two reasons: First, the Hokies and Cavaliers played pretty darn well in opening routs of Appalachian...

A 19th straight bowl appearance is a given. Ditto ACC Coastal Division contention. As is often the case, the overarching question surrounding Virginia Tech’s football team is:
Will the Hokies run the regular-season table?
Sure, the schedule is...

The NCAA suspensions of eight Miami football players appear to have caused an understandable, though misguided, outrage in some quarters.
Among the questions: How can the NCAA allow all of these athletes to play most of this season? Where is the promised...

5 PLAYERS TO WATCHQUINTON COPLES, NORTH CAROLINASr. | 6-6 | 285 | DE
In his first season as a starter last fall, Coples made his presence felt with 15 1/2 tackles for loss, including 10 sacks, on his way to first team...

GAINESVILLE — The question isn't why Randy Shannon was hired by new Florida Gators head coach Jim McElwain; the question is why Shannon wasn't hired by old Florida head coach Will Muschamp.
Or Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher.
Or any other head...

Though his alma mater came calling, Al Golden has decided to stay at Miami.
Golden, who recently completed his third season as Hurricanes coach, was widely reported to be one of the candidates atop Penn State’s wish list after Bill O’Brien left the...